diff --git a/plugins/word-completion/meson.build b/plugins/word-completion/meson.build
index 247b0e60ad..23a75eee23 100644
--- a/plugins/word-completion/meson.build
+++ b/plugins/word-completion/meson.build
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ module_name = 'word-completion'
 
 module_files = [
     'prefix-tree.vala',
+    'prefix-tree-node.vala',
     'completion-provider.vala',
     'engine.vala',
     'plugin.vala'
diff --git a/plugins/word-completion/prefix-tree-node.vala b/plugins/word-completion/prefix-tree-node.vala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..89da8d0c6b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/word-completion/prefix-tree-node.vala
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2024 elementary, Inc. <https://elementary.io>
+ *           2011 Lucas Baudin <xapantu@gmail.com>
+ *  *
+ * This is a free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the
+ * License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public
+ * License along with this program; see the file COPYING.  If not,
+ * write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor,
+ * Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+ *
+ */
+
+public class Scratch.Plugins.PrefixNode : Object {
+    public GLib.List<PrefixNode> children;
+    public unichar value { get; construct; }
+
+    public PrefixNode (unichar c = '\0') {
+        Object (
+            value: c
+        );
+    }
+
+    construct {
+        children = new List<PrefixNode> ();
+    }
+}
diff --git a/plugins/word-completion/prefix-tree.vala b/plugins/word-completion/prefix-tree.vala
index ea5ca2d414..28681f6ea8 100644
--- a/plugins/word-completion/prefix-tree.vala
+++ b/plugins/word-completion/prefix-tree.vala
@@ -1,14 +1,5 @@
 
 namespace Scratch.Plugins {
-    private class PrefixNode : Object {
-        public GLib.List<PrefixNode> children;
-        public unichar value { get; set; }
-
-        construct {
-            children = new List<PrefixNode> ();
-        }
-    }
-
     public class PrefixTree : Object {
         private PrefixNode root;
 
@@ -17,9 +8,7 @@ namespace Scratch.Plugins {
         }
 
         public void clear () {
-            root = new PrefixNode () {
-                value = '\0'
-            };
+            root = new PrefixNode ();
         }
 
         public void insert (string word) {
@@ -47,9 +36,7 @@ namespace Scratch.Plugins {
                 }
             }
 
-            var new_child = new PrefixNode () {
-                value = curr
-            };
+            var new_child = new PrefixNode (curr);
             node.children.insert_sorted (new_child, (c1, c2) => {
                 if (c1.value > c2.value) {
                     return 1;